Confronting the Complete Cooling System Service
By now, it’s obvious to most service shops that cooling system service is an absolute “must-do” on any nameplate. Once a cooling system suffers long-term neglect, it turns into an ongoing source of problems for the owner and his service technician because, when corrosion starts to take place, the effects can’t be reversed. For that
Loaded Brake Calipers: Quality and Value in One Box
Loaded calipers provide a variety of benefits when doing brake jobs on customers’ vehicles. Most brake suppliers have a loaded caliper program today so availability is seldom an issue. If price becomes a hurdle, that’s when it’s time to inform your customers of the features and benefits of loaded calipers. One of the main advantages
MACS Show: Technical Session Coverage
Once a year, the Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) hosts a trade show for A/C shop owners and technicians. This year’s event in Orlando, FL, provided a wealth of service information to those who attended the technical sessions. For those who couldn’t be there, we pass along some of the highlights from the technical sessions.
Diagnosing and Fixing Compressor Failures
The compressor is the heart of the refrigeration circuit. It pumps and pressurizes the refrigerant to move it through the A/C system. Compressors work hard and run hot, up to several hundred degrees and several hundred pounds per square inch of internal pressure, yet they rely on only a few ounces of lubricant to keep
Mass Air Flow Operation Strategy
When diagnosing hot-wire air flow meters (A/F meters) on Subarus and similarly equipped Asian vehicles, technicians may find that, while the meter passes all recommended test procedures, the engine exhibits driveability conditions associated with lean air/fuel mixture ratios. In these cases, it’s best to form a diagnostic strategy based on the relatively simple operating principles
Muscling in on Restoration & Performance Work: Part 1
As automotive technology continues to become more complex with each new model year, you may be longing for the “good ol’ days” when engines had carburetors and distributors but no sensors, fuel injectors or computers. Most driveability problems were fairly simple to diagnose and only required a trained ear and a few basic tools. Alas,
Volkswagen Brake, Suspension and Exhaust Repairs
The original Volkswagen Beetle changed a number of things for the maintenance technician. The muffler was part of the engine, the suspension consisted of front and rear torsion bars, and the brakes, though actually large for a car of the Bug’s weight, needed adjustment on a regular basis to make them safe. Things have changed
Engine Series: Proper Maintenance Can Extend an Odyssey
We all know that some vehicle owners don’t adhere to preventative maintenance schedules for their vehicles. So when a customer’s vehicle is in for a major problem or service, take advantage of in-depth system inspections. It may be one of the few times that you get to check the vehicle for severely worn parts. Although
Dusting Off Fuel System Fossils:
For many technicians these days, the sight of a real working carburetor may be as alien as the rover roaming the dusty Martian surface. But consider the opportunities that these die-cast, zinc alloy, fossil fuel-metering Martians present to us technicians. Opportunities abound, to repair emissions failures by re-calibrating the main circuits and diagnosing high carbon
Servicing Brake Hydraulic Components
Anyone who works on brakes should be familiar with basic hydraulics and the various components that make up the hydraulic portion of the brake system. So if you’re not as familiar with this subject as you should be, keep reading and we’ll refresh your memory. We’ll start at the heart of the system, which is